Looking to become the first player in 17 years to claim consecutive Rogers Cup trophies, Halep accounted for Caroline Garcia in straight sets, while Svitolina rallied from a set down to top Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza.

And Svitolina – who lost to Halep in the quarter-finals of the French Open – showed no mercy against her highly-fancied opponent from the outset, racing through the opening set.

Halep saved a match point as she broke for 5-1 in the second set but Svitolina was not to be denied in the next game, sealing her passage through to the final as the former fired a forehand into the net.